PODGORICA (AFP)--Almost three-quarters of the people in the former Yugoslav republic of Montenegro support their country's bid to become a member of the European Union, a survey showed on Wednesday. 

"This process is positively supported by 73 per cent of citizens who fully agree that Montenegro should aspire to full membership in the E.U.," said Zlatko Vujovic of the CEMI pollster agency. 

Only 5% out of the 1,020 polled were "partially or fully against the European integration," Vujovic told reporters. 

Montenegro broke away from Serbia in June 2006 following an independence referendum. The tiny Adriatic republic, with a population of only 650,000, has since moved ahead of its long-time partner by signing a rapprochement accord with the European Union. 

Vujovic said 51% of Montenegrin citizens consider that membership of NATO would be "useful" for the Balkan state. 

"Some 45 per cent consider that Montenegro should become a full NATO member, while 31 per cent are partially or fully against this move," Vujovic said. 

In 2006, Montenegro joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Partnership for Peace program, seen as the first step towards full membership in the military alliance.